NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Legendary football coach and broadcaster John Madden is retiring , he announced Thursday .

John Madden appears at the TV Critics Association Press Tour in Beverly Hills , California , in 2008 .

`` It 's been such a great ride ... the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years , it has been my passion -- it still is , '' he said in a statement released by NBC Sports .

Madden , 73 , was a Hall of Fame coach for the Oakland Raiders , but is best known to millions as an ebullient football commentator .

He won 16 Emmy awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality , NBC said .

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Legendary football coach and broadcaster John Madden announces he is retiring

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`` The NFL has been my life for more than 40 years , it has been my passion , '' he says

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Madden is best known to millions as an ebullient football commentator